iOS Devices

Engadget has a friend who has a friend who got to play with the new 3G iPhone.  They have some specs.  All seem legit to us:

• The first thing people will notice: the 2nd gen iPhone will be about the same size and shape as the first gen.
• It will, of course, have 3G. And proper GPS!
• The most noticeable physical difference is back of the phone is no longer metal — the whole thing is glossy black, from top to bottom. The volume buttons are now chrome.
• Because it’s got a little less metal to deal with, it doesn’t have quite as many angular edges. The battery is (still) not removable.
• The phone itself will be slightly thicker than the first gen device.
• The headphone jack will no longer be recessed, and will finally be flush with the body.
• The device itself uses roughly the same size and resolution screen as the first generation product.
• No solid word on battery life or storage capacity.

btw, we know that is the black case from Honk Kong and not the new iPhone…

News around the web is spreading that Apple is going to announce the 3G iPhone on June 9th – at Apple WWDC 2008.  While this makes much sense, we really feel that you’ll have to sweat it out for at least a month before they are in your grubby hands.  Apple typically waits about six weeks between announcing products and releasing them when they involve the FCC.  Hope this doesn’t affect your summer vacation plans ;)

 Just a student story: UK students at two Leeds universities are competing in a distance running challenge, using Nike + iPod kits.

The scenario sees students from both universities signing-up to join the running battle through the Nike+ website. Nike vans went through the University of Leeds and Leeds Met University to hand out free Nike+ T-shirts and Nike+ Sports Kits this week, helping drive the student’s in their ambitions to run the most kilometres in 29 days.

Top athletes will win Nike and Apple gear, including iPod nanos, Nike-branded clothes and shoes. The winning university team will also receive fifty pairs of VIP tickets to an iTunes Live From London event at Apple’s Regent Street Store. The competition begins on 25 April and ends on 23 May, and there’s more information on this Facebook page.

Nike points out that any Nike+ user can create their own challenge or join an existing one at nikeplus.com

 Apple’s iPhone: so simple your dog can use it….

This clip turns up from time-to-time,  but if you haven’t seen it, enjoy…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMliByCWzdg&rel=0]

More animal-related iPhone clips: The Cat Who Fetches

Another iPhone-obsessed feline.

The enchanted iPhone dog.

OK, we all know how to hack into an iPod and download its contents off of it – you know in case you lose your computer or something?  It also isn’t to hard to just copy tracks off of your computer to give to your friends – just legal stuff obviously.  But what if you just want to mainline that music from on iPod to another?  miShare has your back with their new little gizmo.  Now how about video sharing?

 Apple raised $378 million through iPhone, iPhone accessory sales and payments from carriers, the company revealed during last night’s financial call.

CFO Peter Oppenheimer revealed the scale of payments from carriers during his preamble last night. He admitted to 1.7 million iPhone sales in the March quarter, and also revealed total deferred revenue from iPhone and Apple TV was $1.93 billion at the end of the March quarter, compared to $1.44 billion at the end of the December quarter.

"Because we announced the specific new features to be included in the iPhone 2.0 release and plan to provide them to iPhone customers as a free upgrade in late June, we will delay the start of revenue recognition for all iPhones sold on or after our March 6th announcement date until the iPhone 2.0 software is delivered," Oppenheimer added.

The revenue and cost of sales associated with these iPhones will be recognized over the remaining terms of their respective 24-month estimated lives, he added.

 There’s a new street art, and it’s iPod graffiti, at least that’s the latest Flickr picture that’s generating a buzz online, thanks to Jason Escapist.

A moment of clarity perhaps?  Jim, though he still talks about ‘Conversation’ (is that his word?) seems to get at what differentiates Apple and it’s relationship with consumers.  As Apple users, it is nice to see someone from a financial  (he seems like he uses a cocaine IV) background that sees this relationship.

Update: Cramer simply can not get over this funky 5 year old technology called iChat.  Next thing you know, he’ll be on to this new browser called "Safari"

Mick Jagger may push his music through any digital music system going, but he’s an iPod user when it comes down to personal choice. And the Rolling Stones used Macs and GarageBand to help create their most recent album.

Variety has an interview with the band’s tech guru, Richard Kerris – yes, that Richard Kerris, the man who bought Maya to Macs, who led Apple’s video application teams and now works at Lucasarts. Kerris spills the beans on the Rolling Stones’ Mac and iPod usage. Each live performance during the band’s 40 Licks tour was filmed and pumped into a Mac, with stage crew then transferring the footage to the band’s personal iPods. When the band left the stage, the iPods containing their performance were popped into their pockets as they walked to their cars, and the band would then watch the footage back at their hotel. Soon after the iPod came out, "Mick was right on it. He was like, ‘I want to get every night’s show so I can listen to it that night and know what was good and what didn’t work, etc.’ So they established this whole thing working with the background crew, I showed them where you could daisy-chain the iPods and synchronize them at once. So it was really fun," Kerris explains. Kerris also reveals the ‘Stones used GarageBand for their last album as they did all their demos.

 Apple’s legal teams are closing down unauthorised manufacturers of iPhone clones, applying the full extent of the company’s legal protections to protect its market.

It appears firms are both supplying iClones to the Chinese market and distributing them into markets outside of China.

Under no choice but to protect its trademarks, Apple is forcing them to stop with heavy threats. Apple is hitting them with the abuse of patents, passing off and similarity between the iPhone and the products the cloners are putting out.

Apple’s serious about closing iCloners down. The company is reportedly demanding they cease manufacturing and distribution of these non-Apple products, requiring they hand over any stock in hand, supply supplier details and is demanding contributions toward legal expenses, as well as damages.

At least one unlicensed iCloner complains Apple’s actions have sent them into bankruptcy (though quite why they felt making iPhone clones was a valid business plan in the first place escapes us here).  

A report explains Apple’s legal action against one iCloner, Digital Playworld. In order to avoid an expensive court case, that company’s Simon Rimmer reached an out of court deal: "I had to take several undertakings, which included amongst other things: Remove all said items from my site (or any other sites) and stop selling them. Sign an oath that I would not offer to sell, market, import or stock any products which are strikingly similar in design to Apple’s registered designs. Deliver to Apple’s legal team all remaining products in my possession, suppliers details, prices paid for them, numbers imported, marketed and sold." Rimmer had to contribute to Apple’s legal expenses and damages.

 Last week’s price cut on the 8GB iPhone has paid off with multiple reports of stock running dry as UK consumers run to purchase on of the Apple mobiles, and further suggestions Apple may be preparing to abandon its revenue-sharing model for iPhone sales.

Success has its cost: Mobile Today informs that both O2 and Carphone Warehouse sold out of the model within days of last week’s announcement. Apple continues to offer the model through its online store, but at the original £269 price, rather than the £169 its partners are offering the model for.

The report tells that stores in Newcastle, Birmingham and London claim to have already sold out of the 8GB model, with one Carphone Warehouse employee claiming sales had "doubled" since last week’s announcement. Stock in hand was expected to be refreshed over the weekend, though sales of the 16GB iPhone remain sluggish, suggesting Apple may be forced to permit its partners to implement a similar discount on that model, should the company not plan to maintain it as an option in its future iPhone range.

The move to discount the 8GB model has been seen as an attempt to boost sales of the device, which haven’t met expectations in Europe, and to clear stock for the anticipated debut of a 3G iPhone.

In related news, Italian newspaper La Repubblica today published a report claiming Apple plans to move away from revenue sharing model to adopt a subsidised open network approach. The first fruit of the new effort seems likely to be the non-exclusive release of the iPhone in Italy through Telecom Italia.

 Looking forward, five major firms are working with high street stalwart, the Kroger Co. on a new mobile shopping coupon scheme.

The firms, which include Procter & Gamble, The Clorox Co., Del Monte Corp. Kimberly-Clark, and General Mills Inc., plan a four month test later in the year to see if shoppers take to the idea of using their mobiles to hand over virtual discount coupons for their shopping.

Kroger Co. runs multiple US shops: convenience stores like Turkey Hill and Kwik Shop; department stores including Smith’s Marketplace, Fred Meyer and Fry’s; and locations such as Food 4 Less, City Market and PayLess.

Sure, we’re not saying iPhone’s going to be part of the trial – to be honest, we don’t know, but we do recall Forbes mention of Apple patents to let iPhone (or iPod touch) users order goods using their iTunes account (conceivably) at high street shops such as Starbucks. But speculation isn’t fact, just expression of what’s possible.

 Apple has signed-up United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC, NYSE) to create chips for the next-generation iPhone.

The move means the end to the sole supplier status enjoyed by former supplier of these particular components, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, according to local reports.

Siliconware Precision Industries Co. will provide packaging and testing of the UMC chips contracted for use in the iPhone, the report adds.

Later reports confirm the company has been asked to produce Infineon Technologies’ 3G baseband chip, which will be used in the new Apple iPhone that supports 3G. UMC stock currently stands at $3.39 on the New York Stock Exchange.

 Apple will release the iPhone in India in September, local reports claim.

The company is partnering with Vodafone India for the launch, which is expected to take place in September. Initial reports claim the 8GB iPhone will be the first model to ship, with a higher-capacity version set to reach the sub-continent in mid-2009. And Vodafone may also pick up the deal as network partner for Australia.

“The carrier deal for India is being worked out with Vodafone,” an Apple source, told the Business Standard, adding: “Vodafone could also become the carrier for the Australian market once iPhone is launched there, though more than one carrier is likely for Australia.”

Vodafone officially denies any such deal, though company insiders have confirmed it, the report claims. Apple is engaged in a slow expansion into the country, with plans to open a second store in Bangalore and a third in Chennai this year. India is a critical market: the Indian mobile subscriber base is set to almost double to 500 million by 2010, the report explains.

O2 this afternoon confirmed its new discounted price tag on the 8GB model iPhone.

The news follows a similar price cut earlier this month by Apple’s Germany iPhone partner, T-Mobile.

As predicted by 9 to 5 Mac in February, when we reported plans to cut prices on the device "perhaps as late as mid-April". O2 has applied a £100 discount on the 8GB model of the iPhone.

In a press release the network announced the 8GB iPhone deal, which can now be purchased for just £169 until 1 June 2008. The offer is available from tomorrow on all O2 iPhone tariffs and will create "additional momentum for what has been O2’s fastest-selling device," the company said. The 16GB iPhone remains priced at £329.

"With the highest customer satisfaction of any device on O2 and unparalleled mobile Web access, the iPhone offers the best mobile experience in the market. Through introducing this special offer, O2 aims to expand the iPhone’s reach, bringing its benefits to an even greater number of customers," the company explained.

O2 also confirmed some interesting statistics regarding its iPhone customers, saying the device has been, "hugely successful in attracting new high value customers to O2 who are also more likely to recommend O2 to their friends and family. 60 per cent of iPhone customers are new to O2 while iPhone customers spend on average 30 per cent more than other Pay Monthly customers."

Signs that the 8GB model will eventually be made obsolete are clear in the small print to the deal, with O2 explaining: "The special offer is subject to stock availability."

The discount comes as reports suggest Apple is moving to introduce a new model of the device, introducing 3G support.

O2 improved its iPhone tariffs in February, increasing the text and minutes included in the £35 per month tariff in an attempt to boost sales of the device.

 Like thousands of developers worldwide, Nike is retooling its Nike + software for use with the iPhone and the iPod touch, embracing the wireless connectivity of both devices.

While Nike has recently extended its system with the introduction of the Nike + Sportsband, which doesn’t require an iPod, this doesn’t mean its relationship with Apple has changed.

The new iPhone/iPod touch solution will embrace these devices WiFi and (eventual) 3G support to allow users to update training logs "on the fly", meaning training data can be uploaded wirelessly.

The company is also developing a new version of its Nike + Coach software to support Apple’s devices. This software offers new running distances, which users can select in order to be given a training routine designed to help them achieve these distances.

Apple and Nike last month announced they are working with major gym equipment manufacturers including Life Fitness, Precor, Star Trac and Technogym to make their equipment Nike + iPod compatible. Participating gyms will include 24 Hour Fitness and Virgin Active Health Clubs.

In July 2007 Nike revealed that 22 million running miles had been logged on its Nike+ website at that point. Trevor Edwards, Nike’s vice president of global brand and category management, said: "Nike+ started as a simple idea and has quickly become the world’s largest networking place for runners."

 Germany, home of the (2nd -ed) best beers, Jagermeister and fine sausages – and now also home to the world’s first iPod-integrating Lederhosen.

That’s right. The iPod ecosystem just grew that little bit larger with Lodenfrey’s introduction of leather Lederhosen integrating a secret iPod pocket and built-in controls for the music player, situated down the wearer’s left leg.

The new garment was introduced at IFA 2007, alongside a Bavarian hunting jacket that’s also equipped with iPod controls. 

 Mactalk.com.au is reporting some startling information on the iPhone in Australia.  Their Source?  Apple resellers who were apparantly told this ahead of schedule (perhaps slightly unlikely).  But anyway here’s their take:

• Last week of June release
• More than 1 carrier
• No contract lock in
• Current resellers will be able to sell iPhones

The June release isn’t a shocker.  However, they are saying that it will be sold like iPods – from resellers and at the new Apple Stores – with out carrier lock-in.  Since Telstra is the only carrier with EDGE, this either means that they don’t need to lock the iPhone in – because it will only run on Telstra – or that it will be of the 3G variety so it works on all of the networks. 

Was this what Tim Cook meant by saying "Apple isn’t married to the current carrier lock in model"?

MacTalk also expects the release to coincide with the opening of the Sydney and Melbourne Apple Stores. 

This adds to the information about a iPhone programmer job description from Telsta.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5zSEh0N8I&hl=en]

Thanks?

FSJ

Another piece of the 3G iPhone puzzle most likely got revealed today as Zibri of ZiPhone fame found a little bit of code in the newest iPhone SDK.  The code in question references a "SGOLD3" Chipset.  The "old" iPhone uses "SGOLD2".   Other fun stuff in the SGOLD3 chip include SDCard access and support for 5 megapixel cameras.  The processor speed remains the same as its predecessor.

German Infineon would likely work with King of Prussia’s  InterDigital corporation (which has already stated that it licensed 3G software to Apple) on the baseband implementation.

Is the evidence conclusive?  Hardly.  However it could represent yet another piece of evidence that the 3G iPhone is, of course on its way…any…minute…now…

Zibri via Engadget